Don't Make Me Break Out the Handcuffs
by rebelrsr
Summary: Not even an injury can sideline Director Danvers. Can her girlfriends?


"Don't make me break out the handcuffs." Maggie's expression was harsh and forbidding rather than the usual mix of mischief and affection. "I swear to Rao or God or the Great Pumpkin: if you get out of this bed, I'm breaking my own rules and cuffing you to the headboard."

Alex ignored the warning. Maggie would never do it. Her cellphone buzzed again, and she reached for it. "Danvers."

"Ma'am, I've got Supergirl on the line for you," Susan announced with no fanfare.

Urgency filled Alex. She swung both legs off the bed, ignoring the way the room turned upside down and then inside out. "Put her on." The transfer was seamless, yet Alex always imagined an audible _click_. "Supergirl, report!" she snapped. Director Danvers slid into place. Alex was all business; Maggie and her threat all but forgotten.

Wind whipped through the speaker until Alex jammed the comm into place in her ear. Then it joined with groans and Kara's ragged breathing. "Supergirl?" She managed to drag on her pants without falling. Barely. Fire raced along her abdomen, tracing the long, neat row of stitches oozing blood into the bandage wrapped around her torso. Her breathing drowned out Kara's and black and grey dots tangoed on the edges of Alex's vision.

"Don't…" Kara broke off. Indistinct words filtered into the comm. The dull thuds of heavy blows. "Don't you dare get out of that bed, Alex Danvers!" The order tumbled out in a roar that had Alex wincing from the volume as well as the bite.

"You heard the Maid of Might." Maggie was back – wearing her own DEO comm. Damn Vasquez! She must have left the comm open to for all of them to share. "Get back in bed."

"What? She's already…Listen you creep! I've got other things to worry about than your decision that humans would make a good snack!" There was too much control in the _whoosh_ Alex heard to be wind. Kara must have used her freeze breathe. "If you're out of that bed when I get home, I'll have Dr. Hamilton admit you to the hospital – where you should be anyway."

Anger. Embarrassment. _Hurt_. Alex toggled off the call and ripped the comm from her ear. It made an unsatisfying plastic _plink _against the wall when she threw it across the room. Tears burned her eyes and a building-sized lump in her throat impeded her next breath.

"Hey! Hey, Danvers." Maggie put a hand on Alex's arm, and Alex shrugged it off.

That hurt, too. Everything hurt now. Her abdomen throbbed in time with her pounding heart. The muscles protesting as if she'd tried to win a sit-up competition against Kara.

More than anything, Alex's _pride _hurt. She was the Director of the DEO – and benched not by the President. By her overprotective girlfriends.

The gentle hand on her arm came back, dodging the uncoordinated slapping Alex managed. "Come on. Come back to bed. I know you want to be out there, snapping orders and taking charge. I get it."

Maggie unbuttoned and unzipped Alex's tactical pants. They fell to the floor with a single push. The shirt came off, too, adding to the pain coiled around Alex.

She couldn't fight anymore as Maggie guided her back onto the bed and settled her against the pillows.

"Breathe, babe. You're OK."

She wasn't OK. Alex panicked, chest heaving as she tried to suck in enough air.

"Look at me, Alex." Maggie's face loomed over her. "Focus on me. You can do it."

Maggie. Look at Maggie. Alex locked her gaze on Maggie.

It didn't help her breathe.

"That's it. You're doing great. Now, breathe _with _me. In." Maggie's inhale was loud and overdone – and that caught Alex's attention. A little more air crept into her lungs as she belatedly mimicked Maggie. "Out."

Air whooshed out. More in. Out.

Maggie gently cuddled into Alex's uninjured side. "All better?"

Alex could only nod, completely enervated. Her arms and legs felt weighted down and tied to the bed. "Kara?"

"At the D…"

"Right here," Kara murmured into Alex's ear. Her hair was wind-tousled and concrete dust liberally streaked her face and suit.

Maggie reached across Alex to wipe at some of the mess. "The Mayor's not going to be happy you took out the new monument in front of City Hall."

"Stuff happens," Kara quipped. "I was really hoping the fight would end up in front of LCorp."

Despite how much it hurt, Alex chuckled. "Kar, not even you are going to knock over the Supergirl statue. It's made of Nth metal."

"Nothing is completely indestructible." Alex sighed as two warm bodies buttressed her. "Not even you, _sheshur_. We're both on leave until you're cleared by Medical." Kara was every bit the stern superhero. "J'onn can put up with the skirt for a little while. You're more important than any Alien of the Week."

"Damn right, Danvers." Maggie's dimple popped out. "And I still have those handcuffs if you want to argue the point."


End file.
